The ever-expanding south of Chennai will get a new dairy from Aavin. The one lakh litres a day dairy will be constructed at a cost of ₹18 crore at Acharapakkam in Chengalpattu district. NABARD is funding the project.
Tenders have been called for contractors who will design, supply, erect, install, test and commission the dairy that will be the fifth one to serve the city. The dairy will have silos, raw milk chillers and storage facilities, milk pasteurisers, reconstitution section, butter and ghee making sections and fat recovery section among others.
Officials in Aavin said a bulk milk cooler already exists on the six-acre piece of land that belongs to the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation. This was announced in the State Assembly during the Budget session.
“It will take around 12-18 months to construct the building and install equipment. Once the work is over, we can provide milk processed locally to areas in and around Acharapakkam, which will reduce transportation cost. At present, we bring milk from Villupuram for supply. It will provide jobs to local residents,” the official said.
This is part of the dairy major’s plans to add processing capacity. At present, it can process up to 40 lakh litres a day. “After the dairy is up and running, we are looking at the possibility of establishing a product dairy and fermented products plant there since at present we are supplying these milk-based products either from Villupuram or Ambattur dairies to Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu districts,” the official added.
Work to establish a fermented products plant at Kakkalur in Tiruvallur is nearing completion and is likely to be ready by March.
